Eugene w



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. W.. APPLEGATE.

DISTRICT SIGNAL AND MESSENGER GALL BOX.

Patented June 19., 1883.

N. PETERS. Pholo-Litho raplw, Washlnlkm. u a

(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 2.

' E. W. APPLEGATE.

DISTEIOT SIGNAL AND MESSENGER CALL BOX. N0.-2'79,629. Patented June19,1883,

lgitnesse Y lfivenz-or'x g i fl kaw N4 PEIERS, Plwkrullwgnphnr.Wnllinglon. II C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. W. APPLEGATE.

DISTRIGT SIGNAL AND MESSENGER CALL BOX. No. 279,629. Patented June19,1883.

( mu mi UNITED STATES i PATENT O FICE.

.EUGENE WV. APPLEGATE, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DISTRICT SIGNAL AND MESSENGER CALL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,629, dated June 19,1883.

Application filed February 24, IBFIL (No funds-1.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, EUGENE \V. APPLEGATE, acitizen ofthe United States, residing at "Wash ington, in the Districtof Columbia, have in such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention used generally in what is known as district service, wherethe wants are made known by certain conventional and predetermined signals. Part of theinvention is however applicable to various electricalinstruments where it is desired to automatically ground or deaden theline at a local office or point during certain portions of the time theinstrument is being used, in order to ascertain with precision andcertainty on which side of the instrument a break or interference comes,if any exist.

My instrument, in the ordinary operation,

makes the connections so as to determine this fact with certainty andprecision and without the interference of the operator. To effect this Ihave the device over which the hand travels to make the signal, whichsignifies any given office placed twice on the instrument of thatoffice, to be acted upon by the circuitbreaker. One of the said devicesI connect to the main line directly, and the other to ground, connectingthe main line from the opposite direction to the circuit-breaker orhand. I further interpose a connection to ground between the twomain-line connectionsr. 6., the hand and one of the devices-so thatduring a part of the revolution of the hand the two directions of mainline will be separated by this interposed ground-connection. Thus itwill be seen that the notation of the office itself is made twice, withan interval between the two, and that the main line is first automicallycut out in one direction and then in the other, so that it is easy todetermine where to find a break, if any exist. In connection with thetwo devices over has reference to signalboxes which the hand moves tomake the signals for the instrument or office itself, which devicesusually are made by serrated metallic arcs, I use movable arcs, alsoserrated, and made capable of being raised or lowered into or out of theline of travel of the hand. These I mount with springs to keep them outof con- .tact with the moving hand normally, and operate them from theexterior of the device by keys, which keys at the same timewind up aspring and start a clock mechanism or train of wheels which moves thehand around the face of the instrument. For this purpose I connect thekeys with levers on the interior of the box, which act independently ofeach other, and each of which takes hold of and operates the lever whichwinds the spring and starts the train. provided with a key which standsin line with the keys heretofore described, and may be used incombination with any one of them to relieve the strain on that key. Themovable arcs on the face of the instrument are all electricallyconnected with each other, and with the stationary are which isconnectedto main line. The levers to which the keys are at taehed are insulatedfrom the wind-inglever, which is in the main-line circuit, on the sideconnected with the hand. The movable arcs represent the calls fordifferent wants-.such as messenger, police, fire, doctor, Ste-and thekeys which respectively elevate them may be correspondingly lettered.

The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means ofcarrying out my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe same with the front swung open and the parts exposed. Fig. 3 is anedge view, showing certain parts. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing severalinstruments in circuit.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A is the face of the instrument.

B is the-box.

A is the serrated metallic are representing This winding-lever is alsois comiected to ground through wire 1 and ground-post 1. A similar arc,A serrated like A, and for the same purpose, is connected to main lineby wire 2 and post 2. C is the clock mechanism, and (1 the hand. Theseare connected to main line by wire 3 and post 3. D is a ground-piecewhich is connected to the ground-p 0st 1. This ground-piece D, as shown,is interposed between the arc A and the center of the hand, and iselectrically connected to the hand by a projection, c, on the hand as itpasses over the said piece D. The hand presses upon the serrated arcs AA and upon the ground-piece D as it is impelled by the clock-work. As itpasses over the are A" it is connected to main line through said are,wire 2, and post 2, but is cut off from main line, by way of post 3, bythe interposed ground-connection I). In passing over are A it "isconnected to ground through said are, wire 1",

and 30st 1 and to main line by wire 3 andpost 3, while the connection isbroken with main line by way of post 2. Thus in travel-- ing over oneare the mainlinein one direction is cut 0d, and when traveling over theother are the main line in the other is cut off, and both are neverjoined when the instrument is in use, so that a break can be detected inthe line, and it can readily be told on which side of the instrumentitis. XV hen the instrument is at rest with the hand on are A-, but notquite touching the grouml-piece D, the main line through the instrumentis unbroken and ungrounded. As shown in Fig. 1, the groundpiece Dextends only as far around as the are A This insures that the number ofthe sta tion. will be sent in, even when the line is broken, and thecall for a special purpose as police, doctor, &c.-does netsiollowysothat a messenger will be sent to that otfice or station any way.

The ground-piece D can be extended as far around as to ground the lineat one end until all the movable arcs are passed, which will throw thecall in with the number of the box, in case the wire is broken on oneside of the box only, or through the hand; but it the wire connectingwith the are A be broken the call and number of the box on that sidewill not be sent in.

In Fig. at is shown the system by which the interference or trouble inthe line is made known at the central office. The hand, pass ing overare A, gives a signal on relay No. 2, and at the same time cuts out wirerunning to relay No. 1 by grounding through groundpiece D. \Vhile thehand passes over are A the signal is given on. relay No. 1 by way ofhand 0, and are A being aground the line to relay No. 2 is cut out.

The circle of which the arcs A A form a part is completed by a series ofarcs independently movable, and which normally lie below level of themoving hand, but which may be elevated into line and be touched thereby.These arcs aa, &c., are serrated in such a way as to each indicate adifferent signal or call when brought into line to be touched by themoving hand 0. They are connected to springs s s s s, respectively,which keep them depressed, except when properly 1na nipulated to beelevated. The arcs a a a? a are electrically connected through thesprings and short wires, and are connected to main line through wire 4,are A &c.

To throw the arcs a a, &c., out into line the levers L L L L are pushedup and their chamfered ends bear down the springs. The levers areprovided with keys or finger-pieces K K K and K, respectively, whichproject through the front of the box, and by which the levers andmovable arcs are operated. In

addition to the work which these -levers do in elevating the movablearcs, they engage, when moved up, with the windin g-l ever L* and forceit up. This winding-lever L engages with an arm, 0, on the winding-postC and as it is pushed up it winds up the spring 0". This arm-c alsoforms a stop for the clock-work when the lever Ii is forced back to itslowest position. The lever Ii has attached to it a key, K*, which standsin line with the keys K K, &c., and may be pushed up alone, or inconjunction with any of said keys. The lever L* is in the main line withthe hand C and post 3, and the levers L L L L are insulated therefrom atthe contactpoints, as shown, and are in circuit with the main linethrough are A" and post 2.

\Vhen any one of the movable arcs is elevated and the winding-leverelevated, which is done sinmltaneously and by the same operation asdescribed, the hand will be moved over the face of the instrument,touching the two permanent arcs A (and ground-piece D) and A, andbetweenv the'two will touch the elevated movable are, so that the signalit indicates will be sent, and the number of the office twice, asalready explained. Two or more of the movable ares, or all of them, may

'be elevated at one time, if desired.

The number of movable arcs and their operating means may be varied asoccasion or pleasure suggest. The construction of spring for holdingthem. depressed may be changed. The arrangement and construction. oflevers may be altered and many minor changes made in various partswithout departing from the principle or detracting from the efii cacy ofmy device.

The stationary and movable arcs may either or both be formed withinsulated portions instead of the serrations, as these answer the samepurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In an electric signal, the combination, with the arm or hand formaking the signal, of two devices formed to indicate two signals for-theoffice, and means, substantially as ue scribed, for automaticallycutting off the main line in one direction when traversing one of saiddevices, and in the other direction when traversing the other device.

2. In an electric signaling device, the combination, with thecircuit-breaker connected to the main line in one direction, of a devicefor indicating the signal for the office, connected to the main line inthe other direction, a

groundpiece to cut out the main line through the circuit breaker when itis traversing this mainline device for indicating the oifice sig- 4. Inan electric signaling apparatus, the combination, with thecircuit-breaking hand and the movable arcs and spring to which they aresecured, and by which they are held normally depressed, of levers havingchamfered ends adapted to be pressed upon the springs, thus elevatingthe arcs, and keys 'or fingerpieces projecting through the ,front of thesignal-box, by which, the levers are operated, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, with the hand and its operating-train, the movablearcs, and opera-t ing-levers, of a winding-lever for winding up thespring of the train, operated simultaneously with and by the samemanipulation as,

the movable arcs, ilS'llGl'Gill set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 40 presence of 'twowitnesses.

EUGENE V. APPLEGATE.

Vitnesses:

I. N. KALB, H. A. HALL.

